Autonomous trucking company Kodiak AI has appointed defense industry veteran Chet Gryczan as Vice President and Managing Director of Defense, signaling a broader push into military autonomous vehicle programs.
Gryczan brings more than two decades of experience in defense and automotive technology. Most recently, he served as president of Detroit Defense, an engineering and systems integration firm supporting U.S. military programs. Under his leadership, the company expanded from a pre-profit startup into an organization generating $157 million in annual revenue with more than 230 employees across 30 locations.
During his tenure, Gryczan helped secure a congressional modernization initiative valued at approximately $500 million by aligning industry capabilities with U.S. Army priorities. In his new role at Kodiak, he will oversee strategy, customer engagement and program execution across the company’s defense portfolio, with a focus on integrating the Kodiak Driver autonomous system into military platforms.
“Chet understands how to build a durable defense business, combining operational credibility and deep customer trust with financial discipline,” said Kodiak founder and chief executive Don Burnette, adding that Gryczan’s experience scaling advanced technologies for military use would strengthen the company’s ability to expand its defense operations.
Kodiak has already established a presence in U.S. military autonomy programs. In 2022, the U.S. Army selected the company to develop an end-to-end autonomous solution for the Robotic Combat Vehicle program under a contract valued at roughly $30 million. More recently, the U.S. Marine Corps awarded Kodiak a contract to integrate its system into the Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary Fires (ROGUE-Fires) vehicle.
The company is leveraging its commercial autonomous trucking experience to support defense applications. Its driverless technology is currently deployed in commercial operations for Atlas Energy Solutions in the Permian Basin spanning West Texas and eastern New Mexico.
“Kodiak has already demonstrated that its autonomous system can operate in demanding military environments and deliver measurable capability,” Gryczan said, noting that the role aligns with his experience adapting commercial technologies for defense use.
Kodiak’s move reflects a broader trend in which autonomous driving firms pursue dual-use applications, transferring technologies developed for commercial transport into military logistics and combat support roles.
